The present invention relates to a method of providing thrust and added lift to a vehicle by accelerating fluid heated by solar energy. The present invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned method.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method of providing initial acceleration and propulsion or enhancing the initial acceleration and propulsion of a vehicle in an environment having at least some fluid, the vehicle being of the type having at least one member, at least a portion of which is treated for absorbing solar radiation for heating fluid adjacent the member for use in propelling the vehicle through the environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various vehicles are known which utilize solar energy for propulsion of the same through an environment having at least some fluid. However, such vehicles lack the means for accelerating fluid heated by solar radiation so as to provide thrust and lift to the vehicle utilizing natural, mixed and/or forced convection. Accordingly, in one aspect, the vehicles of the prior art lack the capacity to accelerate from a standstill position utilizing solar energy as a prime mover. In a further aspect, the vehicles of the prior art lack the capacity to impel fluid to be heated by solar radiation and accordingly accelerate the heated fluid independent of the velocity of the vehicle whilst moving through the environment.
Turning now to specific examples in the prior art.
Johnson's U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,670 dated May 14, 1963 discloses a solar powdered vehicle utilizing the ram-jet principle and therefore will only function over a very narrow and critical supersonic speed range. It completely lacks capacity to accelerate from a standstill position utilizing solar energy as a power source. The efficiency of this patented device, being a high altitude airplane, relies on a flight path dictated by the position of the sun. This limits freedom of movement of the vehicle and accordingly its utility. This reference is directed away from that of the present invention which is concerned with vehicles having low energy requirements and accordingly low speeds.
Smith's U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,878 dated Oct. 27, 1964 discloses a lighter than air device powered by solar energy. It lacks means to accelerate the heated fluid by natural and mixed or forced convection so as to provide lift and thrust to the vehicle.
Bauserman's U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,162 dated Aug. 22, 1967 also discloses a lighter than air device being a solar powered hot air balloon. In this device, lift is provided merely by buoyancy resulting from solar heating of accumulated fluid. This is in contrast to the present invention which involves the use of free to move fluid for motivating the vehicle. Thus, no means is present in the patented device for accelerating fluid so as to provide thrust and lift to the vehicle. Furthermore, the treated member is not secured in a manner as per the present invention.
Other solar powered hot air ballons include ones disclosed in Blondin's U.S. Pat. No. 1,866,079 dated July 5, 1932; Watson's U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,755 dated May 9, 1950; Byron's U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,368 dated Feb. 23, 1971; and Ashman's et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,671 dated Nov. 30, 1965. All of these devices lack the features discussed in respect of Bauserman. Accordingly, like Bauserman, they have no means for accelerating heated fluid so as to provide thrust and lift to the vehicle.
Kyryluk's U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,125 dated June 16, 1964 discloses a solar motor and although the disclosed device is not a vehicle which is propelled from one location to another in an environment having at least some fluid, it is discussed here as an object upon which improvement could be obtained, by use of the present invention, thus providing an improved device.
Reference is made to a further prior art device namely Martin's radiometer as per U.S. Pat. No. 1,000,831 dated Aug. 15, 1911, which like the present invention, includes a treated surface for use in producing thrust by acceleration of molecules. However, the radiometer principle causes the treated surface to recede from the source of radiation whereas the present invention reverses the process and allows for the generation of lift and thrust toward the source of radiation.
A further prior art device which includes treated surfaces for absorbing or reflecting solar radiation is disclosed in Cutler's et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,579 dated Oct. 9, 1962. However, the purpose of the treated surfaces is not to produce heat for energizing fluid since such is not present in the environment in which the device operates. On the contrary, the purpose of the treated surfaces is to provide a varying degree of thrust from the solar wind.